Social
Media Guidelines

These guidelines are
related to the publication of and commentary on social media by
employees of Northeast State Community College and its related
entities (“Northeast State”). For the purposes of these
guidelines, social media means any facility for online publication
and commentary, including without limitation blogs, wiki’s, social
networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, and
YouTube. These guidelines are in addition to and complements any
existing or future guidelines regarding the use of technology,
computers, e-mail and the internet.Northeast State
employees are free to publish or comment via social media in
accordance with these guidelines and other related policies.
Northeast State employees are subject to these guidelines to the
extent they identify themselves as a Northeast State employee (other
than as an incidental mention of place of employment in a personal
blog on topics unrelated to Northeast State).

Before engaging in
work related social media, employees must obtain the permission of
the Office of Community Relations or the Office of Marketing. Also,
you should ask yourself several questions:

What are your
goals in using Social Media for yourself or department?

Which Social
Media tools will you use (Facebook, Twitter, etc)?

Who will post
and administer the account?

Are you
committed to maintain the account and be an active participant?

Publication and
commentary on social media carry similar obligations to any other
kind of publication or commentary.All uses of social
media must follow the same ethical standards that Northeast State
employees must otherwise follow.By participating
with Northeast State in social networking communities, you agree to
indemnify Northeast State against any damages, losses, liabilities,
judgments, costs or expenses arising out of a claim by a third party
relating to any posts you have made.

Setting up Social
Media

Social media
identities, logon IDs, and usernames may not use Northeast State’s
name without prior approval from the Office of Community Relations or
the Office of Marketing. Your profile on
social media sites must be consistent with your profile on the
Northeast State website or other Northeast State publications.
Profile information may be obtained from the College’s Web site or
the Policies and Procedures manual.

Be careful out
there

It’s perfectly
acceptable to talk about your work and have a dialog with the
community, but it’s not okay to publish confidential information.
Confidential information includes things such as unpublished details
about students, grades, financial information, etc. We must respect
the wishes of our students regarding the confidentiality of related
information. Please remember that all laws and Northeast State
policies apply, including but not limited to Privacy, HIPAA, Security
and Safety. We suggest that you take time to review these polices.
Please consult your manager if you have questions about the
appropriateness of your comment.

Protect your own
privacy

Privacy settings on
social media platforms should be set to allow anyone to see profile
information similar to what would be on the Northeast State website.
Other privacy settings that might allow others to post information or
see information that is personal should be set to limit access. Be
mindful of posting information that you would not want the public to
see.

Be Honest

Do not blog
anonymously, using pseudonyms or false screen names. We believe in
transparency and honesty. Use your real name, be clear who you are,
and identify that you work for Northeast State. Nothing gains you
notice in social media more than honesty - or dishonesty. Do not say
anything that is dishonest, untrue, or misleading. If you have a
vested interest in something you are discussing, point it out. But
also be smart about protecting yourself and your privacy. What you
publish will be around for a long time, so consider the content
carefully and also be cautious about disclosing personal details.

Respect copyright
laws

It is critical that
you show proper respect for the laws governing copyright and fair use
or fair dealing of copyrighted material owned by others, including
Northeast State own copyrights and brands. You should never quote
more than short excerpts of someone else’s work, and always
attribute such work to the original author/source. It is good general
practice to link to others’ work rather than reproduce it.

Respect your
audience, Northeast State, and your coworkers

The public in
general, and Northeast State’s employees and students, reflect a
diverse set of customs, values and points of view. Don’t say
anything contradictory or in conflict with the Northeast State
website. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, but do so respectfully.
This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, offensive
comments, defamatory comments, personal insults, obscenity, etc.) but
also proper consideration of privacy and of topics that may be
considered objectionable or inflammatory - such as politics and
religion. Use your best judgment and be sure to make it clear that
the views and opinions expressed are yours alone and do not represent
the official views of Northeast State.

Controversial
Issues

If you see
misrepresentations made about Northeast State in the media or on
social sites, you may point that out. Always do so with respect and
with the facts. If you speak about others, make sure what you say is
factual and that it does not disparage that party. Avoid arguments
and make sure what you are saying is factually correct. If you are
unsure how to respond please contact the Office of Community
Relations or the Office of Marketing.

Be the first to
respond to your own mistakes

If you make an
error, be up front about your mistake and correct it quickly. If you
choose to modify an earlier post, make it clear that you have done
so. Please do not delete the post entirely but offer corrections. If
someone accuses you of posting something improper (such as their
copyrighted material or a defamatory comment about them), deal with
it quickly - better to remove it immediately to lessen the
possibility of a legal action.

Think About
Consequences

It’s all about
judgment: using social media to disparage or embarrass Northeast
State, co-workers, or students is dangerous and ill-advised.

Disclaimers

Many social media
users include a prominent disclaimer saying who they work for, but
that they’re not speaking officially. If you list Northeast State
as your employer on a personal Social Media site or account, you’ll
need to add a disclaimer. If you do not identify yourself as being
affiliated in any way with Northeast State, this guideline may not
apply. The Office of
Community Relations or Office of Marketing can provide you with
applicable disclaimer language and assist with determining where and
how to use that.

Don’t forget
your day job.

Make sure that
social media does not interfere with your job or commitments to
students, faculty, and staff.

Social Media
Tips

The following tips
are not mandatory, but will contribute to successful use of social
media. The best way to be interesting, stay out of trouble, and
have fun is to write about what you know. There is a good chance of
being embarrassed by a real expert, or of being boring if you write
about topics you are not knowledgeable about. Quality matters. Use
a spell-checker. If you’re not design-oriented, ask someone who is
whether your blog looks decent, and take his or her advice on how to
improve it. The speed of being able to publish your thoughts is
both a great feature and a great downfall of social media. The time
to edit or reflect must be self-imposed. If in doubt over a post, or
if something does not feel right, either let it sit and look at it
again before publishing it, or ask someone else to look at it first.

Enforcement

Policy violations
will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including
termination for cause.

Current Students

Quick Links

Northeast State Community College does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnic national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a covered veteran, genetic information or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Dr. Leigh Hornsby
Equity and Compliance Officer/Chief Advancement Officer
P. O. Box 246, Blountville, TN 37617-0246
423.354.5255complianceofficer@northeaststate.edu
Northeast State Community College’s policy on nondiscrimination can be found at http://cwis.northeaststate.edu/oie/policymanual/pol.asp?p=254.